Which guitar songs are best to play to an older audience?

Christmas day, I'm playing to a bunch of people who'll mostly be 50-60. Hopefully their kids'll be there too. :|Since most (read: all) people of this age range in my area don't want an aural assault of any kind, I'm going to mostly play blues or calmer chord-y songs - y'know, stuff like The Weight, Where Did You Sleep Last Night and Knockin' On Heaven's Door.

I'd like recommendations: which songs are relatively easy to play and sing at the same time and sound 'full' by themselves, as in they'll work well with just unaccompanied guitar, and would appeal to a mostly senior audience?

I would learn Jingle Bells and Jingle Bell Rock and play then back to back every 4 songs and the other ones, whatever you want. I suggest Stones, but that's just me. Felise Avi Da or whatever it's called.

I hope LeBron breaks his ankle and NEVER wins another ring again in his life

I'm a metal fan and I know most of the people don't like Rock/Metal music. For this three years, I've been notice and noted that while I play Thunderstruck by ACDC, they pay more attention and become quite. This song is somewhat magical. Not only pop culture people will pay attention to it, but also young kids and older audience and even neighbor dog wag it tail when I start to play Thunderstruck. It's some effect like Mozart effect, The Turkish march.

You see, if you sterotype and buttonhole a group then you miss a whole lot of options. Not sure where you are at, nor what the gig is looking for, but I would suggest contacting the person who hired you for the gig and ask them for what types of music might be well received by the intended audience.

Looking at some "best of" albums from when your audience were 15-25 is always a good call. Bringing them back to good memories is probably more interesting - for them! - than hearing some guy with a guitar whip out the same old troubadour songs which might actually be the "better" songs.

I'm a metal fan and I know most of the people don't like Rock/Metal music. For this three years, I've been notice and noted that while I play Thunderstruck by ACDC, they pay more attention and become quite. This song is somewhat magical. Not only pop culture people will pay attention to it, but also young kids and older audience and even neighbor dog wag it tail when I start to play Thunderstruck. It's some effect like Mozart effect, The Turkish march.

Just my opinion!

Would you say that when people hear that song, they are (they are)... thunderstruck? :p

Quote by AlanHB

I'm not sure why people take gigs without having a set first.

Play songs you know how to play.

I had decent few in mind already but I figured, I have two months to prepare so tailoring would be A+

Well, my Dad is that age group, and I know that him and a lot of his friends will appreciate songs like Nothing Else Matters, maybe some R.H.C.P., some easy on the ears pop rock, like Drive by Incubus, Losing My Religion or Bad Day by R.E.M.

Or go for some of the dad rock classics if you want.

Don't Fear The Reaper should be easy to play and sing on acoustic, Wish You Were Here minus the solo, some Police if you don't detest Sting, some Simon and Garfunkel (Sound Of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Scarborough Fair), some easy Zeppelin, Break On Through by The Doors

And, as has been said, go with some of the good old bluesy stuff. Can't go wrong with an acoustic "Sweet Home Chicago". Johnson's is amazing.

Never imagine yourself not to be otherwise than what it might appear to others that what you were or might have been was not otherwise than what you had been would have appeared to them to be otherwise

You may be the one surprised when you show up. I am 63 and remember Ozzy as the new kid of rock. Most people my age can remember when Ozzy spoke plainly, adored Woodstock, and thought the proper way to play the National Anthem was the way Hendrix did. Don't be afraid to pump it up for them. They will probably enjoy it.